


A Roadtrip and Camping

by ElReyCiervo



Series: Winter is for Warmth and Soul [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Camping, Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, Jericho crew - Freeform, Jericrew, Jericrew can be ready as Gen or Poly, NEraWinter2020, Post-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Canon, Post-Peaceful Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Roadtrip, Winter, snuggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28472898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElReyCiervo/pseuds/ElReyCiervo
Summary: Two days before Christmas and the Jericrew take a roadtrip to Maple Bay State Forest. A brief break from the politics and stress of Jericho, the four androids take some time to take in and enjoy not only what the winter forest has to offer, but also to enjoy time with each other
Relationships: Josh & Markus & North & Simon (Detroit: Become Human)
Series: Winter is for Warmth and Soul [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2058624
Kudos: 4
Collections: New ERA Discord: Festival of Prompts





	A Roadtrip and Camping

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Detroit: Become Human
> 
> Rating: G
> 
> Words: 2752
> 
> Notes: I finished writing this in 2020, and I’m editing it right now in the first hour of 2021. Apologies for any typos. Anyway, even though this is a little rushed, I thought this would be a good fic to end the series on. I haven’t written the main four of Jericho before, so this was fun to do. Can be interpreted as platonic Jericrew or OT4 Jericrew. Happy New Year!
> 
> Prompt: Roadtrip, & Cozy, & Snuggles

Did North have a license to drive?

No.

Did that stop North from driving the old piece of crap car they had salvaged from some old guy across the state?

No, absolutely not.

Should they have questioned her a little more before all this?

Yes, yes they should have.

There was so much work to do after the revolution. Securing the safety of androids, sifting through trash dumps to find survivors, trying to get laws in place, and so much more. Markus was beside himself with stress, working himself to the plasti-bone trying to get heaps of work done each day. North, Josh, and Simon had been doing their best to support him, but even they could do so much. The stress had been getting to them too, but Markus had taken the word ‘responsibility’ to a whole other meaning. Well, they found out the consequences of that all too soon. On his way to his meeting with several government officials to discuss new laws about androids, Markus had passed out right as he stepped in the hallway towards the meeting room.

The oh fearless deviant leader of Jericho was an idiot.

An idiot who had worked himself so hard that he had forgotten to drink any thirium and charge his batteries.

So, like the wonderful people that they were, the other leaders of Jericho hauled him off for rest. They took care of the meeting, glared at any officials who still demanded to see Markus after hearing he wasn’t well (North), gave them a stern talking to that put them in their place when they still badgered them (Simon), and carried the meeting to an end with a smile that promised the opposite of its pleasant appearance (Josh).

One week later, two days before Christmas, and they were all packed into an old car on a roadtrip to take in the sights the state had to offer. With the holiday coming up, most diplomats and officials had some sort of sense as to take some time off for Christmas. Thank rA9. With meetings and law-drafting on hold for this short period of time, it was the perfect opportunity to take this trip. Because there were no major priorities that needed to be taken care of immediately, they left Jericho in the hands of a few other deviants that they could trust. Their friends knew to contact them if something happened, and they had Connor as a priority contact if they needed more official support. The deviants residing in Jericho all had an ample supply of thirium, plenty of things to keep them busy, and a safe place to rest. Well, when listed that way, it was almost like taking care of kids if one were to really think about it.

So here they were, driving up to Maple Bay State Forest. The trip was supposed to be about four hours long, but with not many people on the roads, North thought they could make it in less. Why they were driving so far had no logical answer, if any of them were being honest. Even when Markus had finally relented into taking this mini vacation, he had still argued the point of staying very close to Detroit. What if something happened? What if they were needed? What if, what if, what if. They could listen to him list a million what if’s, but he had to learn to trust in the people they left behind to take care of Jericho. A former travel companion android, one that used to go on frequent trips out of the immediate Detroit area with their human friend, had suggested Maple Bay State Forest. “It’s absolutely beautiful all year round, but stunning in the winter. Take a break for a few days and take a drive up there or something.”

So, a three-day camping trip it would be. 

Markus still fretted about the stuff they would have to do when they would return, but Simon who was sitting next to him in the backseat was quick to shush him. “You’re going to work yourself to death, Markus. Just enjoy this time with us, okay?”

Before Markus could say anything in reply, North pointed a thumb to Josh who was in the passenger seat. She smirked at him from the rearview mirror, “Yeah, you wouldn’t want to upset Josh here, now would you?”

Josh turned around in his seat to pin Markus with the biggest, wateriest puppy eyes he could manage. Any argument he had died in his throat as he blushed and looked away to gaze out the window.

“Ha!” Josh’s face quickly changed back to a grin before exchanging high-fives with Simon and North.

They called North a menace, but they didn’t realize how who the secret menaces really were in Jericho. Markus sighed, but in fondness. He had only been with these people for several months now, but he wouldn’t want a day to go by where he wasn’t with them. With North at the wheel, Josh playing navigator, and Simon sharing memes next to him, the day was going fairly well if he had to admit.

He just hoped he would make it through this trip (with his sanity).

“Wow…”

When they finally pulled up to the campground, North had to take a minute to observe what she was seeing out the windshield. It was twelve in the afternoon, and with the sun at such a brightness, everything was lit with a light that the city couldn’t offer. Sky clearer than the thickness held in the city sky, the clouds were thick and fluffy like cotton. The light blue sky was pieced by the tall trees that were blanketed with snow. Everything had a layer of pure white snow on it, creating a reflective layer that bounced light off of everything it touched. It made everything just… so, so _bright_. Everything was undisturbed.

She didn’t realize she was stepping out of the driver’s seat until the cold hit her synthskin.

The air smelled so _clean_ and fresh. The powder of snow that blanketed everything seemed to absorb all the noise around her. She had to really focus her ears, her audio processors, in order to hear any sound other than her own awed breathing. She had thought she was encountering a malfunction, but no, it was truly just like that. The park was so silent, and the only thing she could hear was the gentle crackling of crystals in the snow.

“Y’know,” she started, voice a little strained with an emotion she was having trouble processing, “Never thought a Traci like me would be able to see something like this. That rathole…didn’t think there were places like this.” She cleared her throat, looking her boys as they gathered around her, “Even…even fighting for my life, choking that man, I never thought I would see something like this.”

Josh had walked around to her side when she had first got out of the car, and now he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her into a side hug. It was loose enough that she could escape if she wanted to—she appreciated that he was aware of her need to be able to maneuver herself away at any given time. Josh was observant like that. Being a former teaching android would do that. She patted his arm that was around her, letting him know that she was okay. The light squeeze she gave to his hand, though, was a signal that she liked his closeness at this time, that he didn’t have to move.

“You’re not there anymore,” he said. With his free hand, he gestured to the area around them and then to Simon and Markus who had gotten out of the car to stand near her. “You’re here in this beautiful place with us. And you never have to go back there again.”

“Thanks,” She smiled. And then it turned sharper, “Alright, enough of this mushy nonsense. Are we here to cry like babies or take a camping vacation?”

Simon rolled his eyes, although not reigning in his snort. It was reassuring to see that North was still herself, although having an overwhelming moment. She did have a point, though. Best to get on with that they were here to do. Just as he reached out and patted her arm, he heard Markus who had moved away once North had said she was fine.

“Is anyone going to help me with the stuff, or am I going to have to do it by myself?” he called out from the trunk of the car.

There was a moment, and then they just couldn’t resist themselves.

“Sorry, Mr. rA9, I thought a _suuuper_ android such as yourself wouldn’t need such _earthly_ androids like us to help you.”

“Did you guys here something? Was that our Lord and Savior rA9 speaking to us from beyond the digital cloud? I must be mistaken.”

“Ohhhh, did Robo Jesus get tired? Waaaaaah.”

They burst out laughing when he let out the most disgusted and weary groan, head fully tilted back in a way that was incredibly unbecoming of and unlike him. “Where did you learn—I am _not_ Robo Jesus!”

Josh was an observer, that much he knew without a doubt.

He had a strong love for learning and a deep desire to take in new and insightful experiences. Such a core aspect of himself, perhaps it could have been a result of his core programming. Even so, it was a part of himself that he was proud of. It gave him a better appreciation or what the world had to offer him.

The sky was starting to change from the light blue of day to the lavender of sundown. They had already set up their tent back at the campground, which had given them just a few free hours of daylight.

They were taking a break from their brief hike, resting on a few rocks near a creek. It was moments like these that he was proud of the model that he was. It was easy to capture and store anything that he could see, and what he was seeing in front of him was gorgeous. The lavender of the sky was brushed with swaths of pink as the sun began its journey towards rest until tomorrow. The bleeding colors in the sky reflected of the glass water of the creek, a perfect mirror that could only be achieved by still water. He heard one or two birds, and it took him almost two whole minutes to find them. Strong camouflage. It was only slight movement from the top of the thin trees that altered him that the clumps of snow shifting were not clumps of snow, but in fact well camouflaged birds of prey. Two snowy owls, one on the far side of the creek and the other closer towards the denser cluster of trees.

Detroit may have been beautiful in the winter, but it had nothing on this. Markus was the artist of the group—he could have explained all this in verbose artistic descriptions, but Josh didn’t think he did a half-bad job himself. He took a few photos and stored them in his memory. He wanted to share the photos later with North, Simon, and Markus. Maybe he would print them out, as antiquated as that was.

Earlier, they had taken their time to walk around the forest. To humans, it may have been a bad time to go on a camping vacation, but being an android had its perks. Although androids could feel the cold, the cold didn’t bother them as quickly as humans. This allowed the four of them to take advantage of the solitude of the forest. They had walked over streams and pulled each other up snow-covered hills. A few ponds here and there had been completely frozen over, and North had taken the opportunity to challenge them to skating contests.

Without skates.

“Bare shoes are plenty enough if you have the skill,” she had challenged them.

To their shock, she had lost.

To both his and their astonishment, Markus had won.

They were still trying to figure that one out.

“I’m glad we came up here,” Josh said. He turned the smooth stone he had picked up earlier before flicking it into the cold water of the creek, watching it skip three times before sinking below. “I think we really needed this. I know I did, at least.”

“We’re going to have a lot to do when we get back,” Markus couldn’t help himself. To be fair, there was a lot resting on his shoulders as not only the face of Jericho, but also as one of the faces for the whole revolution.

“Come on,” North said as she got up and stretched. “Let’s get back! Isn’t sitting around a fire supposed to be one of those cozy things you do while camping?”

“You sure do know how to take care of us, huh,” North grinned when Simon handed them mugs of thirium, warmed over their campfire.

“What can I say,” Simon smiled as he sat next to Markus, who opened up his side of the big blanket to let him in. Next to Markus, North and Josh—who were under the other half of the blanket—threw the fabric over their legs so they were all covered cozily. “I had a lot of practice with the kids I took care of.”

Josh handed him a mug of thirium. Simon gave him a small ‘thank you’ as he took a big sip. “Do you ever miss them? The kids you took care of?”

Markus raised his eyebrows as he looked at Simon. “I never knew you took care of kids.”

“Oh yes,” Simon tapped the side of his mug, looking into the crackling fire in front. While Simon looked at the fire, Markus’s attention was on Simon. He had a distant look in his eyes, looking at the fire but not truly seeing it in this moment. They were all quiet around him as they waited for him to gather his thoughts. “I’ve mentioned it before, but this was before you came to Jericho, Markus. I was the caretaker to a young boy and girl, siblings a little over a year apart. Thomás was the younger brother at six years old while Marisol was the older sister at seven.”

North muttered into her mug, but it was loud enough for them to hear. The bitterness in her voice surprised Markus, but not Josh. “The only good things to come out of that crappy human family.”

“North!”

“What?” She pursed her lips, giving them a flat look. “I’m not wrong. The parents treated you like utter _shit_ , Simon. Lower than that, actually.” There was a story behind that, but Markus figured now would probably not be the time he would hear it.

Simon sighed, but didn’t deny anything. He did not necessarily like to think of the events that led up to him leaving the family he had taken care of for so long. He turned the mug in his hands. “I try to think more about Thomás and Marisol than I do their parents. And to answer your question, Josh,” he leaned forward to look at Josh past North, “I do miss them. I miss them a lot, especially in moments like this. I hope they’re okay.”

“I think they will be,” he reassured them. “I mean, they must have good heads on their shoulders since you helped raise them, right?”

That startled Simon, making him blink. But, once his surprise passed, he laughed in delight. “Right, right. I think…I think I may try to find out what happened to them when we get back.”

They all shifted closer together, a four-person sandwich under the large blanket. Their snuggle pile was cozy, warm in the cold of the forest. The fire in front of them offered even more heat, but it was being near the people he was close to that gave Simon a true sense of warmth—warmth of companionship, trust, love, and support.

They watched the flames curl against the white of the snow and the dark of the sky. Like the flames, they would do their best to guide a light to better the future.

Christmas was in two days and soon after, it would be a new year.

As long as they had each other, they could survive anything 2039 would throw at them.

* * *

Published: 1/1/21

A/N: Wow, first fic of the new year! (This was supposed be done before 2021, but the holidays are very hectic.) I hope I did North, Simon, Josh, and Markus justice! I've never wrote them before

Edit: A/N 2: I can't believe I forgot to say this, but thanks to everyone who has read this series! Thanks so much for the kudos and the bookmarks, and a special thanks to **beeayy** for leaving a comment in the last fic


End file.
